The invention is related to media handling and transport systems, and more specifically to systems used in the imaging technology industry to temporarily store and transport photosensitive media between an image-setting device and an image-processing device. The image-setting and image-processing devices are each equipped with internal media transport systems designed to handle and transport the media within that particular device at the operating speed required by that device. Typically the media transport system of the image-setting device operates at a faster speed than that of the image-processing device. This poses a problem when the two devices are used together in an on-line operating mode, in which the media is transported directly from the image-setting device to the image-processing device rather than to an intermediate storage take-up cassette that is transferred manually from one device to the other. In the on-line operating mode, the media needs to be buffered between the image-setting device and the image-processing device because of the difference in operating speeds of the respective media transport systems. During on-line operation it is desirable to avoid down time of the image-setting device due to a slower operating speed of the image-processing device. It is also desirable to minimize the amount of floor space used by an on-line operating system. It is further desirable to minimize the cost of an on-line operating system.
Another problem encountered in media transporting systems is caused by the thickness and stiffness of the media. Plate materials having a thickness of approximately 12 mils (1 mil=1/1000 inch) are more difficult to handle in media transport systems compared to media 4 mils thick. Because this media is stiffer and harder to bend, generally a media transport path requires a large radius of curvature. Further, an inherent curvature at the leading end of a media supply or sheet causes difficulties with media loading. Sudden buckling and/or misfeeding due to the natural curl of the media can occur and disrupt the media handling or imaging as a result. It is therefore advantageous to prevent buckling and misguiding of the media during loading of media into a media handling system.
In view of the above difficulties encountered in media handling and transport systems, it is accordingly a general object of the invention to provide an external media transport mechanism for buffering media between an image-setting device and an image-processing device used together in an on-line operating mode.
It is an object of the invention to minimize the amount of floor space required by an external media transport mechanism used with an image-setting device and an image-processing device in an on-line operating mode.
It is further an object of the invention to accommodate media of varying stiffness and thickness during loading of the media into an external media transport mechanism and thereby prevent buckling of the media during transport.